Pence Springs is a community in Summers County, named after a mineral spring. The spring water is known for its strong sulfur smell and "rotten egg" taste.

Long ago, wild animals (like buffalo) and prehistoric people visited the spring because of the water's saltiness. In the 1800s, people thought the water had medicinal powers, so a wooden hotel was built in 1872 to attract tourists. The arrival of the railroad soon after made the resort very popular.

Andrew S. Pence bought the spring in 1878 and built a successful business selling the bottled water. It even won an award at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.

A large brick hotel was built in 1918. However, it closed down and was bought by West Virginia in 1947 to be used as the state prison for women, which continued until 1985.